OMA ads hope to loosen province purse strings

An ad in a transit shelter at Queen's Park seeks to remind the province's legislators that doctors can save the health-care system money - an important fact as they enter negotiations for new fee-for-serve agreement. (Antonella Artuso/Toronto Sun)

“The OMA ads emphasize, ‘Ontario’s doctors have helped the province save hundreds of millions of dollars in health-care costs, and we’re making sure they remember it,’ ” says an article in the latest issue of the Ontario Medical Review, which is put out by the Ontario Medical Association (OMA).

To ensure they have the attention of members of the provincial legislature, the OMA is putting its ads in 15 transit shelters surrounding Queen’s Park.

Ads are also being placed in the home papers of Premier Dalton McGuinty, Health Minister Deb Matthews, PC Leader Tim Hudak and NDP Leader Andrea Horwath.

TV spots will run across the province, including on major programs such as Hockey Night in Canada.

Doctors will begin negotiations in the new year to replace the expiring four-year deal with the Ontario government.

The Dalton McGuinty government has asked workers in the broader public sector to accept zero wage increases in the first two years of new contracts.

The previous $8-billion OMA deal increased fees by 12.25% over four years — 3% in 2008, 2% in 2009, 3% in 2010 and 4.25% in 2011.

Doctors say they have met their commitments under the contract including signing up four times as many patients as expected of them.